Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of Thomas RICKABY and Margaret nee McBEATH, Port Rickaby, South Australia

Richard was the son of Thomas Nathaniel RICKABY & Margaret MCBEATH and was born on the 9th of October 1889 in Pt Rickaby, Minlaton, SA.

His parents were married on the 4th of June 1859 in St Jude’s Church, Pt Elliot, SA.

His father was the son of John & Elizabeth RICKABY and was born on the 17th of March 1820 in Blackrock, Dublin, Ireland.
His mother was the daughter of David MCBEATH & Catherine Hickey HOGAN and was born on the 17th of December 1841 in Adelaide, SA.

Richard was the youngest child born into this family of 16 children.

His father had served in the Royal Irish Mounted Constabulary for 4 years and then arrived in South Australia on board the Marshal Plecier in 1858 and joined the South Australia Mounted Police Force.

His first country charge was at Goolwa in 1859, then an important town, and he then married Richard’s mother in Pt Elliot later that same year.

While stationed at Goolwa Richard’s father had also some experience in the far north, where the blacks threatened to become more troublesome.
He was away for three months with one of the two police parties sent out to maintain order.

Richard’s 9 eldest siblings had been born around Goolwa and Lake Albert and after 17 years of police work at Goolwa his father retired from the service and took up land on Yorke's Peninsula, at Port Rickaby, which was named after him.

Richard’s father was one of the first Grand Orangemen in South Australia and was the oldest Justice of the Peace on the Peninsula.
He was the first captain of the Minlaton Volunteer Company in 1881 and was also a promoter and first President of the Minlaton Agricultural Show (now known as the
Central Yorke's Peninsula Agricultural Society).

Richard was only a baby when the Boer War began and his brothers began to enlist.
Thomas enlisted into the 3rd South Australian Citizens' Bushmen (91) and embarked from Adelaide on the 27th of February 1900.

Then Ralph enlisted into the 5th South Australian Imperial Bushmen, E Squadron (483) and embarked from Adelaide on the 9th of February 1901.

Daniel enlisted into the 3rd Australian Commonwealth Horse (Qld), D Company (1968) on the 18th of February 1902.

After finishing school Richard gained employment as a farmer, helping his father.

With the outbreak of WW1 his brother Thomas enlisted into the 9th Light Horse Regiment on the 14th of January 1915 (1139) and was later awarded the Military Medal for gallantry and devotion to duty between the 4th and 10th of August 1916 at Hamish and Bir-el-Abd.

Another brother George then enlisted into the 9th Field Artillery Brigade on the 6th of September 1915 (21403)

Then, at the age of 26, Richard enlisted into the AIF on the 25th of January 1916 in Adelaide, SA and was allotted the service number 2390 and posted to the Light Horse, 2nd Depot Battalion in Mitcham Camp.

He was then posted to the 3rd Light Horse Regiment and then his brother Daniel enlisted into the 3rd Light Horse Regiment on the 27th of March 1916 (2943) and joined Richard in camp.

Richard embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT Botanist on the 26th of April 1916, disembarked in Suez and marched into the Isolation Camp at Moascar.
Four weeks later he was posted to the 1st Light Horse Training Regiment in Moascar and after another 4 weeks he was taken on strength with the 3rd Light Horse Regiment at Romani on the 16th of June.

He never saw his father again as he died on the 17th of September 1916 back home in Pt Vincent.

Daniel then joined him in October and after nearly 3 years overseas they embarked from Kantara on the 16th of May 1919 on board HT Orari.

They disembarked in Adelaide on the 26th of June and were both discharged from the AIF on the 11th of August 1919.

During WW1 Richard had 8 nephews who also served;

Hugh BAWDEN (5969), 10th Battalion, KIA 10.08.1918 in the Somme.
David Rickaby BAWDEN (3591), 1st Machine Gun Squadron.
Claude Berwyn RICKABY (3867), 32nd Battalion.
Donald Shapland Racey RICKABY (2060), 1st Cyclist Battalion.
Joseph Thomas MARSHALL (736), 10th Battalion
Lancelot Dale MARSHALL (1388), 16th Battalion
Robert Bruce MARSHALL (1164), 3rd Light Trench Mortar Battery.
Frederick Sydney MARSHALL (13441), 5th Motor Transport Company.

On the 13th of February 1920 Richard gained a Soldier Settlement Block, Section 472, Hundred of Yatala.
This land was located at 21 Islington Road (now Regency Road), Yatala Blocks (Kilkenny) and Richard became a dairy farmer and his mother and brother; Thomas then moved in with him.

His mother died on the 24th of July 1933 in their home and Richard and Thomas buried her in the Dudley Park Cemetery; Section TOP, Path 5, Site 160.

Richard joined the West Croyden RSL and Thomas remained living with him.

On the 21st of September 1956 Richard was struck by a car whilst riding his bicycle in Woodville and was admitted into the Royal Adelaide Hospital with severe head injuries.
Unfortunately he never regained consciousness and died the following morning, on the 22nd of September 1956 and was buried in the Dudley Park Cemetery; Section TOP, Path 5, Site 160, with his mother.

He never married and an Inquest was held into his death on the 23rd of November 1956.

Military

At the age of 26, Richard enlisted into the AIF on the 25th of January 1916 in Adelaide, SA and was allotted the service number 2390 and posted to the Base Light Horse, 2nd Depot Battalion.
He listed his mother, of Pt Vincent, as his next of kin.

Then his brother Daniel enlisted into the 3rd Light Horse Regiment on the 27th of March 1916 (2943) and joined Richard in camp.

On the 16th of April Richard was transferred to the 3rd Light Horse Regiment, 16th Reinforcements.

Richard embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT Botanist on the 26th of April 1916, disembarked in Suez and marched into the Isolation Camp at Moascar.
Four weeks later he was posted to the 1st Light Horse Training Regiment in Moascar and after another 4 weeks he was taken on strength with the 3rd Light Horse Regiment at Romani on the 16th of June.

They then spent July and August in the Romani area and supplied patrols every 3rd day to near Hill 110, Hod-um-Ugba, Qatia and Bir-el-Thelia.

They played a significant role in turning back the Turkish advance on the canal at the battle of Romani on the 4th of August.
In ensuing days they participated in the immediate follow-up of the defeated Turks, but were soon withdrawn to rest.

By October they were in camp at Kantara and whilst here, Daniel joined Richard and the Regiment from the Reinforcements.
The 3rd Light Horse Regiment then rejoined the Allied advance across the Sinai in November and was subsequently involved in the fighting to secure the Turkish outposts on the Palestine frontier.

They were then involved in the Battle of El Magdhaba on the 23rd of December and they then spent Christmas 1916 at El Risa.
Rafa was their next destination and they fought in the Battle of Rafa on the 9th of January 1917.

The brothers and their Regiment then had a stint of protective duty along the line of communications through the Sinai.
Their next major engagement was the abortive second battle of Gaza on the 19th of April.

They were then involved in reconnaissance and patrols and by May they had moved to Shellal and then to Heseia, near Sausage Ridge.
They then spent June in the vicinity of El Kebir and Kazar, where Daniel was promoted to Trooper Saddler, before moving onto Tel-el-Fukhari and Ghabi in July.

By August they had moved to Shauth, Marakeb by September and then onto Rafa Beach Rest Camp by October.
Their next major moved was a few weeks later to Beersheba, where they played an important role in the Charge of Beersheba.
Then on the 6th of November Richard was attached for duty with the 1st Light Horse Brigade, before rejoining his Battalion 3 weeks later at Ayan Kara, Palestine, where they spent all of December and Christmas 1917.

Richard was then detached to school of instruction in Zeitoun on the 19th of January and when he rejoined his Regiment on the 18th of February they had moved to Zakaria just in time for their involvement in the raids at Amman on the 24th of February 1918.

With the capture of Gaza, back in November, the Turkish position in southern Palestine collapsed. The 3rd Light Horse Regiment participated in the advance to Jaffa that followed, and was then committed to operations to clear and occupy the west bank of the Jordan River.

Early March was spent at Ayun-Kara before they moved to Beitunia and Mar-Elias and then by mid April they had moved to the River Jordan.
By early June 1918 they had moved into the Jordan Valley near Tel-el-Mussettreh.

They were then involved in the repulse of a major German and Turkish attack on the 14th of July 1918.
The final British offensive of the campaign was launched along the Mediterranean coast on the 19th of September 1918, with the ANZAC Mounted Division taking part in a subsidiary effort east of the Jordan aimed at Amman.

By October they had moved to Kissir, where on the 6th, Richard suffered from Malaria and was admitted into the ANZAC Receiving Station in Jerusalem and then transferred to the 66th Casualty Clearing Station 4 days later.
On the 13th he was transferred to the 26th Stationary Hospital in Ismalia and then to the 36th Stationary in Mahemdia.
Three days later, he was transferred to 24th Stationary in Kantara and then onto the 14th General Hospital in Abbassia.

Whilst he was in hospital here the Armistice of Mudros was signed on the 30th of October and he spent Christmas 1918 here before he was discharged to 14 days leave in Cairo on the 21st of January 1919.
He was then posted to 1st Brigade Details in Moascar before rejoining his Regiment and Daniel on the 10th of February at Rafa Beach Camp.

They remained at Rafa Camp where they continued training and held sports events.
On the 26th of March the Regiment moved to Divisional Headquarters in Kantara and were assigned to duty troop for 2 weeks before moving to Ghizereh on the 8th of April awaiting their embarkation home to Australia.

Richard and Daniel embarked from Kantara on the 16th of May 1919 on board HT Orari and on the voyage Richard was admitted into the ships hospital with Malaria for 3 days on the 16th of May and then 4 days on the 9th of June.
Richard and Daniel disembarked in Adelaide on the 26th of June.

Richard was discharged from the AIF on the 11th of August 1919 and awarded the British War & Victory Medals.